Bathtub and shower enclosures



Oct. 16, 1956 A. H. MILLER BATHTUB AND SHOWER ENCLOSURES Filed may 12, 1954 25 25 INVENTR.

f//S Trof-eA/Ex Unted States Patent O BATHTUB AND SHOWER ENCLOSURES Albert H. Miller, Chicago, lll.

Application May 12, 195'4, Serial No. 429,279

2 Claims. (Cl. 189 46) This invention relates to certain new and useful irnprovements in bath tub and shower enclosures and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which Will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

An important feature of this invention is the novel arrangement for attaching a handle bearing trim bar on each of the vertical edges of the sliding panel of the enclosure, without the employment of bolts, screws or any adhesives.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide an enclosure of the character hereinafter described which may be installed by the use of ordinary household tools.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a bath tub stall showing my improved enclosure associated therewith, with one panel thereof in partly open position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

While I have shown my improved enclosure in association with a bath tub and the stall thereof, it is -to be understood that my enclosure may be employed equally as well in connection with a shower stall.

My improved enclosure comprises -a top bar which is formed to provide parallel channels 11. This top bar 10 has its side ends joined to side bars 12. Such connection may be accomplished in any suitable manner.

'Ihe side bars 12 are connected in a conventional manner to the adjacent side walls 13 of the bath vtub stall 14 in Which stall is arranged a bath tub 15.

A base or bottom bar 16 is mounted upon `the top edge 17 of the outside wall of the bath tub. The ends of such base bar yare likewise joined in any suitable manner to the side lbars 12.

The enclosure panels are indicated at 18. Such panels are of like construction. Preferably each panel is either made of transparent or translucent material and is formed with vertically curved ribs 19. The opposite vertical edges 20 of each panel project into a. trim bar 21. This trim bar 21 is preferably formed, as are the top bar 10, side bars 12, and base bar 16, of any suitable metal, such as aluminum, stainless steel or the like.

Each h'im bar 21 is channel-shaped in cross section with one wall 22 curved inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, for frictional connection to the adjacent edge portion 20 of the panel with which associated. The wall 23 of the trim bar 21 has its edge portions 24 likewise curved for 42,766,857 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 YCC . frictional connection with `the adjacent wall portion of the panel 18.

By this novel construction, when the edge portion 20 of the panel is forced into the channel, the same exes the two curved edge portions 22 and 24 of the trim bar outwardly a sucient distance to permit the edge portion 20 to be positioned in the channel of the trim bar 21 and thereby be frictionally held in the channel of rthe trim bar 21. By this arrangement the trim bar 21 is connected to the edge portion of the panel 18 without the use of any bolts, screws or adhesive.

Each of the bars 21, adjacent their edge portions 24, are provided with hand-gripping rails or aprons 25 `formed integral with the trim bar. By grasping such rails the panels may be easily moved.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower edge portions 26 of the panels extend in channels 27 provided by the base bar 16.

Each panel is suspended for easy sliding movement with respect to the top bar 10. This is accomplished by attaching to the upper edge portion of each panel, roller elements 27 which ride upon tracks 28 provided within the channels 11 of the top bar 10.

These roller elements are mounted upon a `shaft 29. Each trim bar 21 adjacent its upper end portion is provided with an open slot 30. Each panel, adjacent its upper edge portion, is likewise provided with an open slot 31 opening in a direction opposite to the opening of the slot 30, whereby when the trim bar is tted to the panel closed slots will be provided. The shaft 29 projects through such slots and is retained in place by the panel 18 and the frame 21. By means yof these rollers the panels 18 may be conveniently moved relative to the bath tub to provide 'access from and into the bath tub area. When in closed position, the panels effectively guard against the splashing or spilling of water from the bath tub stall. In their sliding movement, the panels are eectively -guided by the engagement of their lower end portions 26 in the channels 27.

It is intended that the shower enclosure be formed of such material as will be relatively light, thus enabling convenient and economical installation.

While I have illustrated and described lthe preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit tof the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A -panel for a bath tub enclosure comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material, a trim bar for the opposite vertical edges of said panel, said trim bar being substantially channel-shaped in ycross-section with one end thereof being of a longer length than the other end and having said ends curved inwardly toward each other, said curved ends having frictional engagement with the adjacent edge portions of said panel `a hand rail formed integral with one of the Walls of said trim bar and eX- tending along its length, the opposite upper corner portion of said trim bar and said panel each providing a pair of reversely extending slots, a shaft mounted in said slots and provided with rollers, and track means for said rollers.

2. A panel for a bath tub enclosure comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of ribbed material, a trim bar for the opposite vertical edges of said panel, said .trim bar being substantially channelshaped in cross-section with one end thereof being of -a longer length than the other end and having said ends curved inwardly toward each other, said curved ends having frictional engagement with di4 ribs of th adjacent edge portions of said panel, a 'hand rail formed integral with one of the WallsY of said trim bar and extending along .its length, rthe op- V@aah providing a pair of Ieverseiy extending sluts, a

Referencesv'Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Holderle et a1 Aug. 9, 193s Lehman Apr. 24, 1945 Bowers May 16, 1950 Greig Nov. 24, 1953 

